Kyoto or Bust

July 23
Saturday

My first roadtrip out of Tokyo! I started the journey early Saturday morning. My train left Tokyo station at 9:33 on the nose. Tokyo station is only about 15 minutes away from my place, but getting there involves two train transfers and many flights of stairs. Within 8 minutes I was dripping with sweat and vowing to pack lighter next time.

The JR Shinkansen (or “Bullet”) train is the model of Japanese efficiency. It’s a high-speed mag-lev rail system that connects Tokyo to all of the major destinations in Japan. Kyoto is about 2.5 hours from Tokyo. The train was very comfortable and before I knew it, we had arrived.

Everyone warned me that Kyoto would be hotter and more humid than Tokyo. They were right. After a few wrong turns, I eventually found the subway and made my way into central Kyoto. I had a reservation at the Ryokan Matsui, which was “conveniently situated” just two blocks from Shijo-dori (the main street). It actually really was conveniently situated, however, by the time I found it I was ready to collapse from heat exhaustion. (Side note: I can’t believe how much moisture my body has lost over the past three weeks. I literally cannot drink enough water.)


Even thought check-in wasn’t until 4, I was told that I could check my bags at the ryokan (Japanese-style inn). When I got there I was unhappily surprised to find that the place was under construction. There were men working all over the lobby, which was draped with drop cloths and smelled of sawdust and electricity. I couldn’t believe it, but I was too tired and thirsty to even comment on it. The woman at the desk let me use the restroom, stowed my bags and told me to come back at 4.

I wandered through the streets of central Kyoto and found myself in Nishiki market. This is a covered market that has everything from fresh fish and traditional Japanese sweets to skater fashion and tourist tchotchkes. It goes on for blocks and blocks and there were so many things to look at that the time flew by. One of the oddest things I saw was that in the middle of all this very modern commerce, there were small shrine and temple areas set up. I stopped into one that seemed tiny, but actually have a huge area inside with a garden. The woman there was so kind. She offered me some tea while she stamped my journal and painted some wonderful Japanese characters. I think it says: “Paul is Dead.”



I was starving, so I popped into a restaurant that served grilled ungai (eel) over rice. Yum.
After a little more retail damage (see my fabulous new wallet!), it was time to check in.

Ryokan Matsui was transformed. The drop cloths and workers and smells were gone. The lobby was spare and elegant. The manager greeted me and brought me into the lobby relaxation area for “welcome drinks,” a bowl of green tea, made the real way with a whisk, and a little treat that he said was “made from beans.” I was skeptical about the treat, but I tried it anyway. Once I forgave it for not being chocolate and for being “made from beans” I thought it was really good.


I loved my tiny room. It reminded me of a dollhouse. Everything was miniature. The floors were covered with tatami mats so soft they felt like silk. Like many Japanese establishments, I had to remove my shoes upon entering the room. Slippers were provided, but are not to be worn on the delicate tatami mats. The maid then explained the services of the ryokan (she didn’t speak any English, so I just nodded a lot) which included the communal bath on the ground floor. More on that later.


After changing my clothes and freshening up a bit, I went back out to stalk geishas or geiko-san, as they are more often called in Kyoto. I was lucky enough to spot 4 ot 5 of them as they hurried through the streets of Gion, the Geisha district. This area is just a few blocks wide, but has a large number of restaurants, tea rooms, and theaters. I followed one maiko (apprentice geiko) and found that she was going to a theater called Gion Corner. I knew by the number of tour buses outside that this was probably going to be geishas-in-a-box, but I paid the $28 bucks and headed inside.

The program for the evening included a Japanese tea ceremony, two geiko playing the shimasen (kind of like a lute) while two other demonstrated ikebana (flower arrangement). After this, there was a performance of traditional court music, which was atonal and accompanied by a person in a disturbing dragon costume, sort of like Simon Legree from The King and I. Next a puppet show. It was equal parts interesting and mind-numbing.

Finally, the maiko I had stalked came out and performed kyomai (traditional geisha dance). It was very subtle, but charming. Her movements were so slight that she sometimes appeared not to be moving at all. The program explained that the dances were designed to be seen in the very small spaces of traditional tea rooms. The entertainment ended with a kyogen, an ancient comic about servants stealing sake. It was like watching a community theater production of “Waiting for Godot.”

I wanted to get back to the Matsui to try the ofuro (communal bath) before it closed, so I skipped dinner and grabbed a latte from the corner Starbucks instead. (# 1. Foreshadowing, people.) There are hot springs all over Japan, so therefore there are hundreds of onsens (essentially, spas specializing in bathing). Some places actually feature outdoor onsen, but Matsui’s ofuro was safely inside. There were very clear instructions left in the room for the benefit of gaijin like me. The rules, basically, are these: wash yourself in the shower using the shampoo and soap provided before getting into the bath, don’t get any soap in the bath, and don’t stare at the naked people. I’m a seasoned spa-goer, so I wasn’t too intimidated by the prospect of the communal bath experience, especially once I was reassured that this was not a co-ed facility. However, I wasn’t keen on soaking, starkers, next to a bevy of underfed Asian girls. Regardless, armed with my yukata (bathrobe), towel, pjs, and slippers, I headed down to the bath area. It was a delight. The bath area was quiet, clean, and zen-like. The water was fresh and hot. And the Asian girls all had cellulite, too. (Sorry, no photos for obvious reasons.)